Skip to content

Drag queen who inspired It's A Sin TV series dies

Colin Godwin Phil Lewis in a colourful suit smiling at the cameraColin Godwin
Phil Lewis, affectionately known as Pinky, is cited as having been integral in the creation of the Channel 4 show It’s A Sin

One of the real-life inspirations behind Russell T Davies' hit TV series It's A Sin has died, prompting an emotional tribute from its writer.

'Much loved' drag queen Phil Lewis, who Davies first met at West Glamorgan Youth Theatre Company, is cited as having been integral in the creation of the 1980s-based HIV/Aids drama.

Affectionately known as Pinky, Lewis is said to have been a founding member of the actual London flat-share which went on to be dubbed 'The Pink Palace' on the 2021 show.

"What a beautiful man," said Davies in a Instagram post.

"The wonderful Pinky has died, what a loss," posted the current Doctor Who showrunner on Instagram.

"I joined my Youth Theatre in the '70s, Pinky and his gang were camp, hilarious, wise and brilliant.

"Camp became a way for us to express who we really are - Welsh camp too, the best!"

Having moved to London in the 1980s Lewis then founded The Pink Palace with a group of friends before becoming "a much-loved drag queen in Brighton".

Channel 4 Channel 4's It's A SinChannel 4
Singer and actor Olly Alexander (front) led the cast of the 2021 Channel 4 series

Davies added: "‘I didn’t see him for decades – though I heard the stories! – but we all met up recently, and my God, we laughed. Like I’d seen him yesterday.

‘What a beautiful man. Sympathies and love to his partner Colin, his friends & family and his beloved Jill and Jae.

"Night, Pinky darling xxx."

Five-part Channel 4 drama It's A Sin broke audience records when it first came out, with 6.5 million viewers streaming within a month of going to air.

Allow Instagram content?

This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

However, despite rave reviews and several Bafta nominations it very nearly didn't get made at all, with Davies describing it as a "hard sell" due to its subject matter.

"It's about people dying and a tough piece of work," he said.

The series also boasted many celebrity fans who lavished it series with praise.

Graham Norton described it as "the best five hours of television I've seen in years", while Sir Elton John said it was "a triumph of creativity and humanity".